Horses have always captured people's hearts. They are strong, swift, and beautiful in motion. Once free to run over grassy hills, these animals are now used for all sorts of things from pulling heavy loads to excelling at extreme sports. Equine bone and joint support supplements are designed to help keep horses sound and pain-free in spite of the demands placed upon their bodies.
Supplements may consist of single nutrients or basic vitamin and mineral formulas created to make up for deficiencies in forage. Horses that once ranged over miles of mixed vegetation are confined to stalls or kept in fields. They are fed hay which is usually a mono-crop of grass like timothy or alfalfa. At most, it will be a mix of just a few grasses.
Pastures may offer more of a variety than hay, but they are often seeded and mowed to make them lush and as pretty as a lawn. Mowing keeps the grasses from setting seed. The seeds are where horses get nutrients like Vitamin E, fatty acids, and calcium, things needed for optimum health. For this reason, most feeds formulated for horses contain added vitamins and minerals.
Horses under heavy work are also under added stress. Their legs and feet carry enormous weight, withstand great force, and absorb a lot of shock. This may cause bones and joints to deteriorate. Targeted nutrition can help off-set this unnatural stress. Among the most familiar nutrients are hyaluronic acid (a component of joint fluid), MSM (sulfur, a naturally-occurring mineral essential for health and strong bones), and glucosamine and chondroitin, which are building blocks of cartilage.
There are other nutritional substances that have been proven by research and use to help off-set the unusual amount of stress equine athletes are under. Consider the jumper, for example. It thrusts off to gain height needed to clear an obstacle. The hind legs must pack a lot of power into lifting that massive body from the ground and giving it the momentum to soar over a jump that may be both wide and tall.
Then they land their entire weight on one foot, which must then push that weight off as the rest of the legs and body follow over the jump. The amount of impact, shock, and force involved in this action is almost inconceivable. It's amazing that the legs and hooves of horses can stand this once, let alone over and over.
To help prevent damage and perhaps career-ending lameness, owners and trainers can provide the extra nutrients these athletes need. Specialized formulas are designed to handle daily wear and tear on tissues and keep bones and joints healthy. Some formulas help horses under other stresses, like aging. Arthritis develops in older horses just as it does in humans, but we know now that nutrition can help prevent or delay its development.
Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves are all important to the soundness of the horse. Keeping your animals happy, comfortable, and strong is why you will want to investigate the different products on the market and choose the ones that fit your animals and their training programs.
Supplements may consist of single nutrients or basic vitamin and mineral formulas created to make up for deficiencies in forage. Horses that once ranged over miles of mixed vegetation are confined to stalls or kept in fields. They are fed hay which is usually a mono-crop of grass like timothy or alfalfa. At most, it will be a mix of just a few grasses.
Pastures may offer more of a variety than hay, but they are often seeded and mowed to make them lush and as pretty as a lawn. Mowing keeps the grasses from setting seed. The seeds are where horses get nutrients like Vitamin E, fatty acids, and calcium, things needed for optimum health. For this reason, most feeds formulated for horses contain added vitamins and minerals.
Horses under heavy work are also under added stress. Their legs and feet carry enormous weight, withstand great force, and absorb a lot of shock. This may cause bones and joints to deteriorate. Targeted nutrition can help off-set this unnatural stress. Among the most familiar nutrients are hyaluronic acid (a component of joint fluid), MSM (sulfur, a naturally-occurring mineral essential for health and strong bones), and glucosamine and chondroitin, which are building blocks of cartilage.
There are other nutritional substances that have been proven by research and use to help off-set the unusual amount of stress equine athletes are under. Consider the jumper, for example. It thrusts off to gain height needed to clear an obstacle. The hind legs must pack a lot of power into lifting that massive body from the ground and giving it the momentum to soar over a jump that may be both wide and tall.
Then they land their entire weight on one foot, which must then push that weight off as the rest of the legs and body follow over the jump. The amount of impact, shock, and force involved in this action is almost inconceivable. It's amazing that the legs and hooves of horses can stand this once, let alone over and over.
To help prevent damage and perhaps career-ending lameness, owners and trainers can provide the extra nutrients these athletes need. Specialized formulas are designed to handle daily wear and tear on tissues and keep bones and joints healthy. Some formulas help horses under other stresses, like aging. Arthritis develops in older horses just as it does in humans, but we know now that nutrition can help prevent or delay its development.
Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and hooves are all important to the soundness of the horse. Keeping your animals happy, comfortable, and strong is why you will want to investigate the different products on the market and choose the ones that fit your animals and their training programs.
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You can visit www.naviculardisease.com for more helpful information about Equine Bone And Joint Support.
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